Chalk-holder.



J. W. PUTBRBAUGH.

CHALK HOLDER. APLIoATIoN FILED uns. 1909.

Patented Mar..29, 1910.

l JOI-IN W. PUTERBAUGH, 0F SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.

CHALK-HOLDER.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Application led January 5, 1909.

' Patented Mar. 29, 1910.

serial No. 470,865.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. PUTER- BAUGH, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at San Jose, in the county of Santa Clara and State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and useful Chalk-Holder, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The objects of the invention are, generally, the provision, in amerchantable form, of a device of the above mentioned class which shallbe inexpensive to manufacture, facile in operation, and devoid ofcomplicated parts; specifically, the provision of a chalk holder inwhich the chalk may be locked securely and from which it can only beremoved when the chalk has been entirely worn away; the provision of acatch for locking the component parts of the device together which shallbe securely concealed in the device and protected from accidental ormalicious manipulation into an unlocked position; other and furtherobjects being made manifest hereinafter as the description of theinvention progresses.

The invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement ofparts, hereinafter described, delineated in the accompanying drawings,and particularly pointed out in the appended cla1ms, it being understoodthat dlvers changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details ofthe structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacricingany of the advantages of the invention.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to denote corresponding partsthroughout the several figures of the drawings.

-In the accompanying drawings z-Figure 1 shows my invention 1n verticallongitudinal section, the cutting plane being passed longitudinally ofthe bridge piece and catch; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section,the cutting plane being passed transversely through the bridge piece andcatch; and Fig. 3 is a top plan.

In carrying out my invention I provide, primarily, a shell 1 which, ifdesired, may be cylindrical in shape. The shell 1 is provided with anopen lower terminal 2, from which projects into the interior of theshell an annular shoulder 3. The upper terminal of the shell 1 may beslightly thickened, as denoted by the numeral 17, and into thisthickened portion is cut an annular recess, whereby there is formed u onthe interior of the shell an upper shoul er 4. I further provide a capdenoted generally by the numeral 5 and provided with a central axialopening 6 in its top. A bridge piece 7 preferably trough shaped istransversely disposed in the cap 5 and terminally mounted therein. Theside walls 8 of the bridge piece carry a transversely disposed pivotmember 9, upon which is mounted a catch 10 disposed between the walls 8of the bridge piece. The body portion of the catch 10 engages the pivot9, and from this body portion projects an arm 11 disposed in alinementwith the opening 6 in the cap 5. A stud 12 projects from the bodyportion of the catch and through an opening 13 in the side walls of thecap :into engagement with the shoulder 4L of the shell. The shoulder 4and the st-ud 12 are so beveled that 'the cap 5 may freely move downwardin the shell 1 toward its open terminal 2, their function being simplyto limit the upward movement of the cap 5 to a position within theshell 1. The resilient means for operating the catch 10 may be of anyform; preferably, however, as shown clearly in Fig. 1, these means takethe form of a leaf spring 14 having one of its terminals rigidly mountedin the catch 10, its other termmal being arranged to maintain a wipingcontact with the bottom of the bridge piece 7. The lower face of thebridge piece 7 carries a bowed leaf spring '15 mounted intermediate itsends upon the said bridge piece, its ends being downbent to engage thechalk 16.

In practical operation, the chalk is placed within the shell 1 and usheddownward to contact with the shoul( er 3. The cap 5 is then introducedinto the upper end of the shell l and pushed downward, the wall of the'shell engaging the stud 12 of the catch and forcing it upward into thecap against the eort of the spring 14:. lVhen the stud 12 has passed theshoulder il, the said stud will move outward engaging the shoulder 4Land firmly locking the cap in the shell.

In order to maintain the chalk constantly in contact with the shoulder3, the spring 15 is provided which constantly bears against the chalk.

In order to separate the shell 1 from the cap 5 after the chalk has beenused, a bent wire or like implement is introduced into the open terminal2 of the shell and made to engage the arm 11 of the catch, drawing thesame toward the open terminal of the shell and freeing the stud 12 fromthe shoulder 4.

The foregoing operation is necessary for the reason that when the holderis in use the central opening 6 in the cap is normally closed by thecord 18 by which the device is suspended, so that there is no access tothe catch at the upper end of the device. It is obvious, however, thatwhen there is no cord to close the opening 6, the device may be unlockedby the introduction of a pin or like device into the opening 6, wherebythe arm 11 of the catch may be depressed. By this means the device maybe readily unlocked by salesmen when demonstrating the device tocustomers, and under similar conditions when the device is not suspendedfor use.

I regard it as of importance that the 4catch is operable into unlockedposition by pressure in an opposite direction from that in which thepressure of the cue is ordinarily exerted. It is the common practice toprovide chalk holders which are unlocked by the pressure of the end ofthe cue after the chalk has been worn away. The objection to a device ofthis sort is that when the chalk is nearly worn away the cue may breaksuddenly through the thin intervening wall of chalk, striking theunlocking mechanism forcibly and frequently injuring the same andrendering it inoperative. In my invention there are no delicate ormoving parts which are within reach of the end of the cue, and thepressure of the cue can under no circumstances whatever unlock thedevice or touch the locking parts.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is l. A chalk holder comprising a shell and acap arranged to slide in the shell; a bridge piece transversely mountedin the cap; a catch pivoted in the bridge piece and arranged to projectthrough the cap into engagement with the shell; and a leaf spring havingone of its terminals mounted in the catch, its other terminal having asliding contact with the bridge piece.

2. A chalk holder comprising a shell; a cap slidably mounted in theshell and arranged to fit in one end thereof; a catch fulcrumedintermediate its ends in the cap and arranged to project at one endthrough the cap into engagement with the shell, the other end of thecatch being movable in the direction of the open end of the shell, towithdraw the projecting end of the catch from its engagement with theshell.

3. A chalk-holder comprising a shell; a cap slidably mounted in theshell and arranged to fit in one end thereof a catch fulcrumedintermediate its ends in the cap and arranged to project at one endthrough the cap into engagement with the shell, the other end of thecatch being movablein the direction of the open end of the shell, towith draw the 'projecting end of the catch from its engagement with theshell; and an imperforate bridge-piece transversely mounted in the capbetween the catch and the open end of the shell and constituting ashield for the catch.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afxedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. PUTERBAUGH.

Witnesses:

A. J. RHEIN, E. L. REIDING.

